Unusual Zoned Paraiba
This gemstone came to us for observation and an opinion of value. The loose gem did prove to be Paraiba tourmaline…
Gem NotesUnusual Diamond Crystal
An old European cut diamond in a ring setting came in for an appraisal. The approximate measurements were 5.00 x 4.90 x 2.59 with an estimated weight of .39 cts. At first observation, the diamond…
Gem NotesThe Accredited Gemologists Association Tucson Conference
This year’s AGA Tucson event tackled a series of treatment related issues through the kind of first class line-up of speakers and hands-on lab sessions that have come to define this annual event. The morning…
Featured ArticlesAndesine Update
In 2005, a Market Trends segment in the GMN tilted Andesine: The Next Paraiba? reported on the buzz building in the industry around this intensely red colored plagioclase feldspar appearing in the market in small quantities…
Featured ArticlesNRC Comes to Tucson
On Friday February 8, 2008 the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) in cooperation with the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC) presented an important presentation on irradiated gems in the Leo Rich Theater on the grounds of…
Featured ArticlesCoated Gems
In the early days, there were the foil backs. These synthetic stones, often nothing more than glass, had a gold colored foil coating on the pavilion that theoretically made the stone look more diamond-like. The…
Featured ArticlesMarket Trends: Promotional Diamonds
The lead article discusses changes in the market for promotional diamonds. These charts that follow show the history of the subject diamond categories from 1995 to present. All prices shown are adjusted from the GemGuide…
Market TrendsNRC Clarifies Position on Blue Topaz
In November, the NRC issued a fact sheet, available on their website www.NRC.gov that addressed issues regarding the safety and sale of irradiated gemstones and most notably blue topaz. The fact sheet is in response…
Featured ArticlesWhat a Revolting Idea- a Cover Letter
During the 1980s, a revolution swept through the jewelry appraisal profession and the cover letter became standard appraisal practice. It seemed that every course, seminar and book endorsed the use of a cover letter. Now there…
News ArchiveGlass Filled Ruby
While much has been written about glass filled ruby and its sudden surge of presence in the marketplace and ease of identification, little has been written regarding the instability of this material. About a year…
Gem Notes